


Field of dust and blood

by Laughingvirus



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, King Bang Chan, M/M, Prince Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Royal advisor Lee Minho | Lee Know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:15:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29520033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laughingvirus/pseuds/Laughingvirus
Summary: "I refuse to sit in my broken castle as my people are being slaughtered.”
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 22
Kudos: 103





	Field of dust and blood

**Author's Note:**

> [Inspired by this art by Heidi uwu](https://twitter.com/eydilily/status/1362026173836926983?s=20)

Chan did not bat an eye when the door to the throne room was slammed open, his attention was turned to the fur coat in his hands. Fast footsteps echoed over the cracked marble floors. Chan still did not take his eyes off the coat, he did not need to see the pitiful state of his throne room, and he could recognize those footsteps anywhere.

“Brother,” Felix said, his voice tight. “Tell me you’re not planning on-”

“I have to,” Chan snapped, facing his younger brother. The young prince stared back at him, jaw tense and eyes narrowed in a glare.

“We’ve already lost a lot, we cannot lose our leader as well.” While Felix’s voice was harsh and his expression tense, his eyes told Chan all he needed to know.

His brother was scared.

“You will not lose me to a battle,” Chan said, his voice softening. “Surely you have more faith in your brother than that.”

It was an attempt to lighten the mood, but Felix clearly was not amused. Chan’s playful smile fell.

“We’ve lost most of all warriors, Felix. You know that,” he said, watching as his brother’s shoulders slump. “Our kingdom is in ruins and we’re surrounded by our enemies. I cannot let my remaining warriors fight this battle alone.”

“Does Minho know?” Felix asked. “Have you informed him of this decision?”

Chan’s body tensed, and he sucked a sharp breath. “I have not.”

Felix snorted, rolling his eyes. “Would not surprise me if he barged in here at any moment,” he snapped. Then his expression softened and Chan saw his brother for what he was, a scared teenager trying to survive in a war-torn land. “Please do not do this.”

“I already told you, Felix,” Chan said, his throat tightening around his words and making it difficult to speak without his voice wavering. “I cannot.”

“Let me come with you.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” Felix hissed. “You said it yourself. You’re not letting our warriors go to battle alone, so why should I? They’re my people as much as they’re yours. I’m old enough!”

“And when we lose both our king and our prince in war, then what?” a new voice asked.

Chan had not noticed Minho entering the throne room. Quiet as a mouse, deadly as a poisonous snake, that was the best way Chan could describe his advisor. His glowing red eyes pierced through the shadows before he stepped forward. His steps were careful, not making a single sound as he crossed the room, as graceful as ever.

“Felix, leave us,” Chan said, eyes not leaving Minho.

“But-”

“That was an order, Felix,” Chan snapped. “Leave us.”

Felix tensed, blinking a couple of times; his eyes glossy with unshed tears. He bowed his head to Chan. “My King,” he whispered, his voice failing him. “Advisor.”

“Prince Felix,” Minho said, bowing his head to Felix as the young prince left the throne room.

The heavy doors closed with a thud behind Felix, and they were left in deafening silence. The tension between Chan and Minho was thick as they just stared at each other. Minho’s eyes flickered down to the coat.

“So the servants were right,” Minho mused, eyes snapping up to look at Chan. “You are heading into battle.”

As the king, Chan bowed his head to no one, but if there was someone who could make him cower, it was Minho. He should have discussed this with Minho beforehand, but this was a decision he could stand by.

“I am,” Chan replied. “Any news from neighboring clans?”

“Hyunjin’s messenger arrived earlier. His army is marching north. They’ll be here in three days,” Minho said. He was speaking slowly, each word chosen carefully.

“So we need to endure three more days,” Chan mused as he pulled on the coat; it weighed heavy on his shoulders. “Do we have enough resources for the people?”

“Right now we have enough to last us a week, so should this go according to plan, we can make it,” Minho said, eyes still fixed at Chan and piercing through his very soul. “Have you informed the others?”

“I have,” Chan said, not missing the way Minho’s expression soured. “Changbin and Jisung gathered the berserkers and headed towards the front.”

“Who will remain to guard the castle?” Minho questioned, cocking an eyebrow. “Pardon me, My King, but did you think this decision through before removing all the guards from the castle?”

“If we lose the city, the castle is lost anyway. There’s nothing left to defend here, Minho,” Chan said, his voice stern. “I apologize for not speaking to you beforehand, but I cannot see another solution to this. Our warriors are either dead or worn out. We cannot afford to protect the castle with the berserkers, and I refuse to sit in my broken castle as my people are being slaughtered.”

“I do not question your authority, My King,” Minho said as he dropped to one knee, his head bowed. “I’m sworn to you, forever loyal and nothing will change that, but as your advisor, I need to know these things.”

“I know, Minho,” Chan sighed, shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry. It was a rash decision on my part but I just… I cannot stand this anymore. I’m tired of backing and backing, it’s-”

“It’s time that we attack, you’re right,” Minho finished for him, looking up at Chan. His eyes were glowing again, revealing his non-human nature. “I will follow you into battle.”

“Who am I to entrust the city to if you go into battle with me?” Chan asked. Minho raised an eyebrow as if the answer was obvious. “Felix is a teenager. He’s too young to shoulder this responsibility.”

“You were around that age when you were crowned,” Minho noted. “You coddle him.”

“I do not coddle him!” Chan snapped, the anger just bursting from him. “No one that young should ever be in that situation,” he sneered, his hands trembling as he closed his hands into fists. “I’m trying to protect him from suffering a similar fate to mine.”

“He is trained for this, and he has Seungmin on his side, as advisor and protector,” Minho replied, unfazed my Chan’s sudden burst of anger. “I know you do not want him to be forced to grow up like you had to, but we’re in a war we’re about to lose and you could lose your life. He needs to fill this role, and I know he can do this.”

Chan stared at Minho for a long time. The anger was still bubbling under his skin, but it was simmering down. He gritted his teeth, trying to rein himself in.

“Are we ready for this?” he asked instead of acknowledging the fact that Minho was right. As much as he hated it, Minho was right. He did not need to say it, the twitch of a smile in the corner of Minho’s lips told him that Minho understood.

“I do not know, My King,” Minho said with a sigh. “That’s something only a seer can say. But I have faith in our people. We will rather die than live under the rule of the Arionfar monarch.”

“You’re right.”

“I’m always right,” Minho noted.

“There’s no denying that.” Chan sighed, his eyes wandering to the cracked, dusty windows of the throne room. Below him was his city, still intact but outside the gates, the land was torn, broken and battered. On the horizon, he could see the smoke from the front. He sighed again, running a hand through his hair. “We should be going, if we want to get to the front before dusk.”

“Striking at dusk might be our best shot,” Minho mused. “Are you ready, My King?”

“I think I am,” Chan said, but he knew that nothing could fully prepare him for what he was about to see on the battlefield. However, Minho’s presence provided him some sort of comfort. They were, after all, blood-bound.

**Author's Note:**

> i had an idea and i ended up somewhere else. but i like this au a lot  
> big thanks to heidi for letting me write to her art hehe uwu <3


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